


Twenty First Times

by Into_Evernight



Category: Kamisama Hajimemashita | Kamisama Kiss
Genre: Alternate Timeline, Ambiguous Relationship, Coming of Age, F/M, First Time, High School, Loss of Virginity, Porn With Plot, Romance, Smut, a lot of smut, canon-ish?, my attempt at minimalism, nanami consents to fooling around, nanami is 18
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:48:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29824491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Into_Evernight/pseuds/Into_Evernight
Summary: [Alt. Timeline for age bump + timing of romance. Events based on volumes 3 - 4 of the manga]After Nanami is rejected by Tomoe, Kei tells her to find another guy to take her mind off it. However, an awkward encounter with Mizuki leads to Tomoe making an offer Nanami can’t refuse -- permission to sleep with him so she’ll have a safe space to experiment. Despite his claim that it’s to protect her from people who would take advantage of her curiosity, perhaps he likes her more than he lets on.(Mizuki/Nanami is for some very awkward / inexperienced fooling around only in chapter 2. Skip chapter 2 if you’re so inclined.)
Relationships: Mizuki/Momozono Nanami, Momozono Nanami/Tomoe
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	1. Curiosity

**Author's Note:**

> In this fic, I’ve bumped up Nanami’s age so she’s 18 and in her third year of school. It's an alternate timeline anyway (given that in the manga it takes them a LOT longer to get physical in a romantic sense) and the anime bumped her age to 17 (I assumed she was in her second year in the anime as well), so just go with it. :P
> 
> I’m attempting to say more in less words, so my goal was to keep chapters between 1,500 - 3,200 words. Because it’s more digestible than my other fic and this whole thing is finished, I plan to update every Wednesday.
> 
>  *****Warning:** All right, just to cover all my bases — even though Nanami is 18, some readers may be uncomfortable with the fact she’s still in high school. Despite being of age and Tomoe also being “in high school”, I know this can squick some people out. If this is a trigger, you probably want to click back or read the note about what to avoid.
> 
> ******SPOILER******  
>  ~~Especially because there’s a sexual scene *at school* in chapter 8.~~  
>  *****end spoiler*****

“Momozono, you’re not still a virgin, are you?”

Kei’s voice pulled Nanami from her reverie, and she tore her unfocused gaze from the landscape to look at her friend. It registered what she’d asked, and her breath hitched. “What?” She fumbled for the words, face feeling hot. “I haven’t done anything!”

A devilish smirk spread across Kei’s face, her eyes glittering, burning holes into Nanami’s head. “But you live with Mikage.” She paused, watching Nanami gulp. “Don’t tell me you’ve never been at least a _little_ curious. He is pretty hot.”

 _Truthfully, she had wondered_. Nanami drew her eyes to the schoolyard, swinging her legs over the edge of the bench. She wasn’t sure if she was glad or dismayed that Ami was out sick today, but it seemed she was Kei’s sole target. “I don’t know,” she mumbled.

“He’s never made a move on you?”

To this, Nanami sighed, shoulders sloping like a deflated balloon. “No.” _Of course not_ . He’d told her he would never fall in love with a human woman. It hadn’t even been that long ago that he’d dropped her off the roof, shocked at her question as to whether he’d ever found her _cute_. “He told me he doesn’t like me and never will.”

Here, Nanami saw Kei’s mouth fall open from her peripheral vision. “You told him you liked him and he said _that_?”

 _Not in those words_ , Nanami thought, but she couldn’t tell Kei _why_. “Pretty much.”

“That’s harsh!” A pause. Then: “Would you, though?” Nanami turned her head, lips parted but nothing coming out, her eyes locked on her friend. “Would you sleep with him if he asked?”

 _Her entire body was aflame_ . Quickly, she turned her head away, drawing in shallow, shaky breaths. It was like Kei had cracked open the deepest recesses of her mind, unwinding chain after chain of denial and suppression. She _tried_ not to think about it, even in those moments she lay in bed and her breathing was uneven and her fingers quivered and that aching tension demanded she alleviate it. But the images still flashed through her mind in spurts and fragments, slipping through the cracks of self-control. She hung her head, staring at the split pavement.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Peeking up, she caught that smug, self-satisfied smirk. But Kei’s eyes were already on her phone, her thumb flying over the keys. Desperate to lump the attention off herself, Nanami asked, “Oh, is that your boyfriend?”

“Yup,” Kei replied. The space that stretched out between them led Nanami to relax prematurely, her body going slack. It didn’t last. “We’re gonna do it tonight.”

A small gasp caught in Nanami’s throat and her body went rigid. Just talking about this had blood flowing to all the parts of her body she tried so hard not to focus on, those intrusive thoughts racing through her mind like a movie on fast-forward. “Oh, my god.” Her face felt warm, but that animal desire urged the question that blurted out of her mouth. “What’s it like?”

“It feels _so_ good,” Kei replied, flipping her phone shut and putting it away, locking eyes with her, and Nanami felt her heart pick up its pace. “Like I didn’t think it’d feel better than touching myself, but it feels _way_ better than that.”

Nanami’s eyes grew huge. “Really?”

“Yeah, I swear,” Kei replied. “When you get a guy who knows what he’s doing, it’s like fireworks.” She grinned. “You won’t be able to stop once you’ve had a taste of it.”

“It doesn’t hurt?”

Kei shrugged. “It didn’t hurt for me, but I was on top the first time.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I’d recommend it. It gives you more control.”

Although a thousand tiny pinpricks crawling over her skin told her _not_ to ask, Nanami couldn’t help it; she burst it out in the form of loud whispers. “How does it feel for a guy to be inside you?” She cupped her hands over her mouth, a nervous giggle escaping her, hardly able to believe she’d asked such a personal question.

“Good,” Kei said with an impish smile. “It can be a little tight at first, but sometimes when you get into it, you don’t notice it as much. I’ll tell you this, though.” She leaned in closer, dropping her voice to a whisper, eyes gleaming. “If you come while a guy’s inside you, it’s much more satisfying. I can’t explain it. It just is.”

By now, Nanami’s heart raced. It took every ounce of self-control _not_ to think of Tomoe. But even though Tomoe would never touch her like that, she couldn’t help her own urges, her own desires. And lately she’d felt pretty _needy_.

As though reading Nanami’s thoughts, Kei grinned and said, “Once you get the first time out of the way, you don’t have any more hang-ups. You’re eighteen now. Go find a guy you trust and have fun.”

 _Have fun_ . Nanami blushed a little, but she nodded feebly, her mouth dry. As much as her mind told her _no_ , her body told her _yes_. Unconsciously, she squeezed her thighs together and let her thoughts drift away.

\--

“You have been oddly pensive today.” Tomoe’s even voice pulled Nanami from her haze of thoughts, that brain fog that’d filled her skull until it pushed out anything and everything else. “It’s uncharacteristic of you.”

Nanami jolted, wondering if somehow he _knew_ . She squirmed in her seat at the dinner table, avoiding direct eye contact, instead looking just over his right shoulder. “Oh, really?” A nervous laugh. _She didn’t know what_ pensive _meant, but she wasn’t going to ask._

“Yes.” A pause, and then Nanami saw Tomoe frown from her peripheral vision. “Are you not hungry?”

Flicking her gaze to her plate, to the meal Tomoe had worked so _painstakingly_ to prepare, her stomach tightened. _She shouldn’t think of Tomoe like that; it was wrong_ . It almost felt like _violating_ him, even though she tried _not_ to let the images into her mind. However, the longer she basked in the glow of his presence, the more potent the fantasies became. Feeling distressed, she stood on shaky legs.

“I don’t feel good,” she finally said. “I’m sorry. Can you wrap up my plate, please?”

Concern furrowed his brow and he stood as well. “What’s wrong? Do you have a stomachache?”

A wan smile twitched at the corners of her mouth, eyes fixated on some imaginary dot in space. “Yeah.” She breathed in shakily. “I’m gonna go to bed.” Mentally, she tacked on, “ _And not think about you_.”

Instinctively, he stepped forward, lifting a hand and drifting it towards her forehead. Flinching, she squeezed her eyes shut. Even with the inches between them, she still imagined the heat radiating from his body, still felt his hand hovering in the air before her, hesitant and questioning. Then, the sound of his palm slapping against his thigh. A punctuated exhale.

“Call for me if you need anything.” He paused. Then, he spoke again, something softer around the edges. “Feel better.”

“Thanks.” She dared to open her eyes again, almost expecting to see his kind gaze regarding her with so much care, in that way that said _‘you are my priority.’_

But he’d already turned around.

\--

 _It was a good thing Tomoe was in his room and asleep_ , Nanami thought, lying on her stomach, hugging the pillow to her chest and sniffing. The last thing she wanted was for him to come barging in here asking _what was wrong_ because of his acute hearing. A few days ago, it had been endearing, as her infatuation spread out of control like a raging wildfire. His words were the winds that had fueled the flames, the mantra she’d repeated over and over again like a skipping record -- _you’re my priority, you’re my priority, you’re my priority_ . But now, his attentiveness brought a new level of hell -- being forced to face him when he’d rejected her so ruthlessly. _He’d never love a human woman_.

Sniffing again, she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. _Why had this happened?_ She’d wondered if it was because he was a _boy_ and he’d been _nice_ to her. But that wasn’t it. He wasn’t just a beautiful face. She genuinely enjoyed his company, his wit, their banter. She trusted him with her life. When he talked to her, he made her feel like she was the only person in the entire world. _And he was so kind_ . It hurt to know he thought of her as a _weak, human girl_.

That was why she hated to harbor these feelings she couldn’t seem to turn off. Teenage hormones had been bad enough, but combined with her attraction to him, it was a deadly combination. The result was the burning desire which pulsed hotly between her legs, the encompassing shame for holding _lust_ for him, and the thick, cardboard sensation of guilt in the pit of her stomach for mentally _violating_ him.

 _She couldn’t even touch herself anymore in good conscience_ . Not when those fleeting, unbridled images flashed through her mind. Not when the inebriation of pleasure murmured in silky tones _this was okay, he didn’t know, it was just a fantasy_ . But then she’d face him in the morning and he’d be the same Tomoe and she’d ask herself -- _if she loved him, would she think of him in a way he didn’t want her to?_ It made her feel like she was _harassing_ him, like she was some kind of pervert.

Sinking lower under the covers, she wondered if alleviating those teenage hormones would chase her problem away. Maybe if she focused on someone else… That was what Kei had told her, anyway. ‘ _Go find a guy you trust and have fun_.’ Perhaps if she explored that curiosity, as long as it was with someone who she knew and could trust, then she wouldn’t feel so bad.

 _That was what she needed to do_ . To forget her infatuation, to stop having these _inappropriate_ thoughts about Tomoe, she needed to find a different outlet to satisfy these raw, primal, human needs.


	2. Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apart from TWs, this chapter is _awkward AF_. I don’t always write steamy sex. Sometimes, I really enjoy writing awkward or bad sex. Also, the TWs may contain spoilers. If you don’t need the TWs, skip the below paragraphs.
> 
> **Trigger warning:** This may be considered very, very light dub con (in this chapter only) thanks to Nanami’s confusion, anxiety, and mixed feelings, although she verbally gives consent. I don’t consider it dub con, but if this is triggery or uncomfortable, skip this one chapter. I’ll provide a full summary / spoiler at the end of the chapter so you don’t have to read it.
> 
> *****TW Spoiler alert*****   
>  ~~Tomoe walks in on them. There is an implication that Tomoe thinks it’s non-consensual (though it is not).~~   
>  ******end spoiler**
> 
> **Longer explanation:** This chapter is based on some of my experiences. A lot of times people who are new to sex don’t know their boundaries. Nanami is curious but mixed emotions are a thing especially when you’re new to it. Mizuki, as well, has no experience and is very sheltered. They have no clue WTF they're doing. (ʘ‿ʘ✿)
> 
> I've also found that sometimes, in the moment, you can really want it, enjoy it, and reciprocate, but afterwards, you feel sick or wonder why you did it. Arousal and curiosity are powerful things. It’s easy to get carried away and jump into something without thinking. I never considered my experiences to be non-consensual, since in my personal situations, my feelings were my responsibility, and that was what I hoped to convey here too.

These days, Mizuki had been hanging around the shrine in the afternoons when she came home from school. Tomoe didn’t care for him, but Nanami had sent him on an errand that day, if only to keep the peace and give her some time to visit with her new friend. No matter what Tomoe thought about the snake spirit, he’d been decent after that first uncomfortable meeting.

It was a warm, bordering on hot day, and so they’d made shaved ice, desperate to escape the heat. Currently, they sat on the edge of the veranda, the shrine doors open to air the space out, swinging their bare feet in the slightly cooler, slightly less  _ stuffy _ air.

“I’m glad you sent that nasty fox away, Nanami-chan,” Mizuki said with a beaming smile, although his eyes glinted.

_ Funny how foxes were supposed to be mischievous, and yet Mizuki was the one who exhibited the trait _ . “Well, I hate it when you fight,” she said, taking another bite of shaved ice. “And I knew you were coming by today. It’s not gonna kill Tomoe to be gone for an hour or two.” She didn’t address the  _ nasty fox _ comment.

“That dumb fox. He doesn’t know what he’s missing out on.”

At first, Nanami thought he meant the shaved ice, but then he stretched out an arm and laid it across her shoulders. Her smile tightened, and she blinked wide eyes up at him. His teal gaze locked with hers, and she gulped. “Oh…” was all she could think to say, her thoughts scrambling like an out of range radio signal.

It was the first time recently that she wondered --  _ was Mizuki coming onto her? _ And then there was the  _ other _ question --  _ what would happen if she let it unfold naturally this time? _ She inwardly shook her head, mortified for entertaining such a thought. That was difficult to push out of her mind when his hand had slipped to her shoulder, fingers grazing the skin just past her short-sleeved shirt. Her heart missed a beat.

While she tried to gauge what was happening, she spooned shaved ice into her mouth and didn’t look at him. A part of her focused on how her stomach twisted into knots, that inner voice speaking in urgent tones that  _ Tomoe needed to come home soon _ . The darker half of her, the self that lived in the shadows and crevices of her mind, whispered that  _ maybe this was an opportunity _ .

She left the bowl of her spoon in her mouth for a beat, momentarily stiffening as Mizuki’s touch drifted down her upper arm. It was light, faint, the friction of his fingertips brushing in barely there sensations that elicited goosebumps over her skin. _ A small shiver down her spine _ . She inhaled sharply. A quick, daring glance in Mizuki’s direction revealed his eyes on her face.

If it hadn’t been for the softer smile that spread over his mouth, she would’ve slapped him and fled. But  _ that _ expression,  _ that _ smile, reminded her of the way Tomoe looked at her. Her eyes darted around the yard.  _ Could she trust him? _ Another pass of his fingertips over her skin. This time, it sent a shock straight between her legs and, involuntarily, she shivered. That little,  _ nasty _ voice whispered in her ear --  _ maybe Mizuki was the one who could make her forget _ .

She sucked in a breath suddenly. “Um…” Her tongue fumbled, clumsy.

“Yeah?” Mizuki’s touch migrated, slipping from her arm to her side. His face was closer now.

_ Oh, gods, was she scared or was she aroused? _ Maybe a bit of both. That internal conflict kept her rooted to the spot, even as Mizuki’s hand trailed up and down her side.  _ Was this okay? _ She wasn’t sure what to do. She’d told Tomoe she liked him, and she wondered if  _ this _ cheapened her confession.

“How long’s the fox going to be gone?”

His voice tore her back to the present, and she felt as though she’d burst through the surface of a warm, deep pool. “I don’t know. I asked him to go to the cleaners and the grocery store. He left about fifteen minutes before you got here.”

“So we have some time.” Mizuki offered her another smile, leaning closer until Nanami could feel his breath against her cheek. Instinctively, she shied away. But he laid it out there all the same. “I know you don’t want to be my bride, but what about other stuff?”

Her heart pounded. “Other stuff?” She held her breath.

“Yeah, like...having some fun?” His hand traveled to her lower back and his eyes half-lidded.

There was no doubt now what he meant. She arched, a part of her saying she shouldn’t let this happen, that she should tell him to leave. That same part of her  _ prayed _ for Tomoe to come home.  _ Now _ .

But then there was that other half still pushing her in that direction, telling her --  _ Tomoe had rejected her. To get over him, she should try it with someone else _ . Here it was, being offered to her for the taking. Yet she wasn’t sure if she could trust Mizuki.

Chewing on a hangnail, she snapped anxious eyes towards him. He paused in stroking her back, blinking calmly. Her heart slowed.  _ He’d read the room _ . “Hypothetically,” she said slowly, “if I said yes… You’d only go as far as I said was okay, right? It wouldn’t be like  _ last _ time?”

His eyes widened slightly. “What, really?” he began, excitement in his tone.

“Hypothetically,” she reminded him, emphasizing the word.

His lips pursed. “Oh, right.” He rubbed the back of his hair, averting his gaze briefly before meeting her eyes again. “Yeah, of course.”

_ He practically quivered just at the suggestion _ , Nanami noticed, feeling the tremors in his body vibrating in the air next to him. That was the first time she realized -- their sides were nearly touching. His body heat poured off him in waves, and suddenly her shirt felt like it stuck to her skin, the muggy atmosphere stifling. She swallowed hard, and they looked at each other for a long moment.

In the next second, that ache between her legs pushed her to open her mouth and spill out the impulse, words falling at his feet sloppy and rushed. “I’m really curious. If I can trust you, we can do a little…” Immediately, her face burned, her stomach leaping into her throat. “ _ What the hell, Nanami?” _ she thought.

“Wait, for real? You mean it?” She hadn’t thought his eyes could get any wider, but there he was, staring at her with a slightly agape mouth, his face flushed.

_ Damn it, she couldn’t back out now _ . If she did, she could just  _ hear _ Kei guffawing at her and telling her how it was  _ no big deal _ , that she should  _ just get it over with _ , that  _ she’d feel better if she did _ . Maybe she would feel better. Maybe she just needed to  _ get laid _ so her filthy thoughts about Tomoe would go away.

Tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth, she nodded automatically.  _ “Tell him, damn it! Tell him what you don’t want to do!”  _ her inner voice shouted, but she fell mute.

Mizuki stood. “Why don’t we go to your room?” he purred, eyes dazzling in the afternoon sun, pupils mere slits, snake-like.

She locked eyes with him, nodding, heart pounding.  _ Oh, gods, what was she doing? _ Her body moved on autopilot, and then she was on her feet, and  _ then _ she was walking into the shrine with him, in a daze. The next thing she knew, the door tapped shut. Leaving her alone. With Mizuki. In her bedroom. Panic spiked in her throat.  _ What was she supposed to do? _ She didn’t know the first  _ thing _ about sex.

He came closer and his hands fell at her sides, above her hips. Breaths coming faster, lump in her throat, she stood rigid as those hands swept towards her breasts. Squeaking, she brushed them off and then blurted out, “I don’t know what I’m doing!”

“It’s okay, I don’t either,” Mizuki said with a laugh. “Relax. We’ll figure it out.”

_ She needed to tell him -- now _ . As his hands fell on her torso again, she grasped his wrists. “Wait.” She panted, chest heaving, and he looked at her, mouth twitching. “I...I don’t wanna go all the way,” she managed.

Something like disappointment clouded darkly over his face. “Oh. What do you want to do?”

She stood straight as a line for a long moment, debating. She was so inexperienced that  _ any _ of it seemed daunting.  _ But she really wanted to try _ . Just the thought of having another person touch her like  _ that _ had her trembling, breaths coming quicker, the blood rushing between her legs. Squeezing her eyes shut, face flaming, she said, “You can touch me anywhere you want, but that’s it.” She bit her lip. Then, thinking better of it, she added, “And this doesn’t mean we’re dating or anything! It’s just this once, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” His tone was flat.

Before she had a chance to open her eyes, two hands cupped her breasts and squeezed them. A whine caught in her throat, eyes flying open. A part of her froze, resisting. The other part of her shivered, desperate to pull her clothes open. She felt like she’d been turned upside down so many times she didn’t know which way was up anymore.

“Can I at least see?” Mizuki asked, and her eyes snapped to his.

Her mouth flapped open and shut. Finally: “Just my bra.” Her face burned.

With that permission, he swiftly untied her ribbon and then unfastened the first few buttons of her top. She inhaled shakily as his hands slipped into her shirt and pulled the straps of her camisole off her shoulders.  _ It came down _ . Now her bra was exposed and she felt like she couldn’t stand anymore, legs weak.

She didn’t have to worry about that long. He grasped her around the waist and pulled her down, drawing a small shriek from her. Dizzy, she found herself in his lap, facing away from him. “How should I touch you?” he purred in her ear. “I’ll do anything you want.”

_ “You should stop” _ , her internal voice warned. She chose to ignore it, heeding her desperation more. “You can put your hands…” She paused, wondering how to say it. Realizing there was no way she could speak it aloud, she acted before she lost her resolve. She took one of his hands and pushed it into her bra, then placed the other hand on the inside of her thigh, next to her crotch. It was too embarrassing to put his hand directly where she wanted it.

A small laugh came from behind her. “You’re worked up, aren’t you, Nanami-chan?”

Her face felt impossibly hot. “Don’t...don’t talk to me while we do this.”  _ She couldn’t stand the awkwardness _ .

“Okay,” he said with another laugh.

His hands began to move of their own accord, and now that she no longer had control over it, she was a stiff, shaking wreck. The hand in her bra massaged her breast, the warmth of his palm brushing against her nipple until it hardened.  _ That felt good _ , she realized, heart in her mouth. That was  _ nothing _ compared to where else he touched. Without waiting, his hand slipped past the elastic of her panties. She gasped as foreign fingertips brushed over her clit on their way to her entrance. She felt too awkward to tell him where to touch a woman.

Somehow, the excitement of this situation was enough. That combined with the fact the heel of his hand and his wrist inadvertently brushed over her clit made up for the fact he didn’t touch it directly. One finger pushed past her folds, penetrating her, followed by another. She clenched her teeth, closing her eyes, trying not to think of ‘ _ you know who’ _ while he did this. Somehow, she didn’t think  _ ‘you know who’ _ would be so careless or uncoordinated. Somehow, she thought  _ ‘you know who’ _ would stroke her clit instead of going for home straight away.

A breathy moan came from behind her. Feeling his hardness through his clothes and against the back of her underwear, she bristled.  _ This was a normal reaction and he couldn’t help it _ , she reminded herself, gradually relaxing. At the same time, that naughty voice in her head whispered --  _ this was kind of hot _ . As awkward as it was, it was a scenario she’d  _ fantasized _ about, and it was actually happening. Perhaps not with the person she’d hoped it’d be with, but someone was touching her in  _ that _ way, and she was turning him on, and it felt  _ good _ .

If she closed her eyes, she could lose herself to the moment. Perhaps he was clumsy, but that palm rubbing against her clit had her legs twitching, and she leaned back, her breaths coming deeper.  _ It had been weeks since she’d touched herself _ . Desperate for relief, she grinded against his wrist in slow, firm motions, her breaths morphing to quiet moans. The hand at her breast groped her more insistently, a little uncomfortable, but she just wanted to get off.

He shifted at the same time she did, and then she accidentally bumped against him, that hardness pressing through their clothes, against her entrance. Her legs jolted, and she found herself pressing back against it, flicking a glance over her shoulder. His eyes flashed, a smirk playing on his lips, and then his hips lifted as well.

Now they were grinding against each other, eyes locked for a moment, and it heightened her excitement.  _ She ached for more _ . Facing forward to a more comfortable position, her thoughts drifted to  _ him _ , and suddenly it was  _ him _ with his hand in her bra and  _ him _ with his fingers inside her. Without warning, she humped his hand faster, driven by animal instinct, panting openly through her mouth. He followed her movements.

This wouldn’t last much longer. The excitement tingled beneath her skin like a thousand tiny needles, and she felt the pressure building beneath her navel. Whimpering, she twitched in his hold and spread her legs wide, feet planted on the floor. Moans fell from her mouth much louder now, and she arched against the body behind her. His hand moved faster. She rocked against that warm wrist, pushing herself against those fingers, and then something burst inside her. Gasping, body jerking, she thrust her hips as the waves washed over her until she finished.

The moment the last wave faded away, a cold, sick feeling sank into the pit of her stomach.  _ What the hell was she doing? _ She whimpered again, freezing up, aware of Mizuki’s moans and the way he continued to hump against her.  _ She should say something _ . She didn’t even get the chance to tell him she was done.

With a bang, the door came open and she gasped, nearly jumping out of her skin. And when her eyes met Tomoe’s, she wanted to fall straight through the floor and  _ die _ . There had been times she’d worried he’d walk in on her while she had her hand in her sweatpants, but  _ this _ ? This was ten thousand times worse. A dry sob caught in her throat.

Unfortunately, he took it to mean something  _ else _ .

“You,  _ snake _ !” he sputtered, eyes wide, dangerous.

The aftermath happened so quickly she didn’t even have a chance to process it. Tomoe must’ve transported over there, because the next thing she knew, she’d been thrown to the floor behind him, and he’d slashed his foxfire through the air across Mizuki’s body. In response, Mizuki conjured water to extinguish the flames, and what he said next had Nanami wanting to crawl away and hide.

“You’re just mad because Nanami-chan  _ asked _ me to touch her,” Mizuki said, such glee and such  _ pride _ in his voice that it made Nanami feel like a cheap toy.

Suddenly, she wondered if this was even about her anymore. Maybe Mizuki had  _ used _ her to instigate a fight with Tomoe.  _ She felt dirty _ .

“You filthy  _ liar _ ,” Tomoe spat. “How  _ dare _ you lay your hands on my lady and mistress!” The foxfire attacks came more swiftly now, his claws sharp and swiping through the air towards Mizuki.

In the time it took to blink, Tomoe had Mizuki on the ground, and he was on top of him, and there was this  _ murderous _ gleam in his eyes that made her think of the feral Tomoe from five hundred years ago. Her blood ran cold. To see  _ that _ Tomoe reappear, to realize  _ that _ still lived inside him somewhere, mounted sheer panic in her chest.

Realizing that Tomoe was about to kill Mizuki -- that he would  _ actually _ do it -- she pushed aside her need to break down and forced herself up on shaky legs. “Tomoe, stop!” she shouted. His body went rigid and still, one hand lifted, the foxfire flickering out in his palm.

By now, she was in tears. Her mind was a jumbled mess of too many thoughts and feelings, and they all competed for headspace.  _ The man she loved had caught her with another man _ .  _ She’d let Kei convince her this was a good idea. She’d been used _ . Another dry sob caught in her throat.

“Mizuki, go before the binding wears off,” she said, struggling to keep her voice calm. She failed.  _ Tomoe would kill Mizuki if he stayed _ .

Perhaps Mizuki understood this, because he begrudgingly nodded. Right before he walked away, he said, “Dumb fox, you made Nanami-chan cry.”

“Mizuki,” Nanami said as firmly as she could muster. “Don’t. Just go.”

“Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll see you later?”

Forcing a smile, she nodded, tone faint. “Yeah…”

As Mizuki passed by her, he whispered  _ loudly _ in her ear, “That was fun. We should do it again sometime.”

A squeak caught in Nanami’s throat. One glance at Mizuki revealed his eyes were on  _ Tomoe _ . Her teeth chattered, and she set her jaw, trying to stop it. Behind her, Mizuki said goodbye, but it sounded faraway. She stood completely still until she heard his footsteps leave the shrine. Then, she exhaled and whirled around.  _ She couldn’t face Tomoe now _ .

“Nanami--”

_ Her binding had been released _ . Embarrassed and hurt, she dashed from the room and out the back of the shrine.  _ She would hide from him even if she had to run away to do it _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you couldn't bear to read it (lol):
> 
> **Summary:** Nanami decided to accept Mizuki’s invitation to fool around (fingering, humping). They’re both inexperienced. Nanami is nervous about it, but so curious she does it anyway. Tomoe walks in on them, thinks Mizuki coerced her, and attacks him. Nanami then stops Tomoe and runs away.


End file.
